What Does Off the Record Mean? Media Ground Rules Explained

“Off the record” usually means the journalist can’t publish what you say or attribute it to you, and uses it only for their own understanding. But there is no single definition. Journalists and outlets interpret it differently, it only applies if both sides agree before you speak, and it isn’t a legal contract. The safest approach is to assume anything you tell a reporter could end up in print with your name on it.

This guide explains the common ground rules, how to agree them properly, and when it makes sense to use them at all.

The main media ground rules

These are the terms you’ll hear most often. The descriptions below are the typical meanings, not fixed rules. Always check what the specific reporter means.

Term	What it usually means	Main risk
On the record	Everything can be published and attributed to you by name and title	None hidden: this is the default and the clearest
Not for attribution	Can be quoted, but attributed to a description you agree, such as “a company spokesperson”	The description may still identify you if few people fit it
On background	Information can be used, often without direct quotes, and attributed loosely or not at all	Some reporters treat background and not for attribution as the same thing; others don’t
Deep background	The reporter can use the information to inform the story but not attribute it at all	Least consistent definition of all
Off the record	Not to be published or attributed; for the reporter’s understanding only	Some reporters feel free to confirm it elsewhere and then publish; definitions vary

Notice how often the risk is “definitions vary”. That is the core problem. Two people can agree to go “on background” and walk away with different understandings of what that allows.

Why off the record isn’t a safe place

Several things make off-the-record conversations riskier than they sound:

• It has to be agreed before you speak. Saying something and then adding “but that’s off the record” doesn’t bind anyone. Many journalists consider the conversation on the record unless both sides agreed otherwise in advance.
• Definitions vary. For one reporter, off the record means “never use this”. For another, it means “don’t quote me, but you can go and find someone else who will confirm it”.
• It isn’t legally binding. It’s a professional understanding, not a contract you can enforce in the normal course of things. If it’s broken, your remedy is usually limited to complaining and never trusting that reporter again.
• Information travels. What you say may shape the questions the reporter asks others, and those others may work out where it came from.
• Circumstances change. An editor may push back, the story may shift, or the reporter may leave and the notes may not.
• You aren’t anonymous to your own colleagues. If only three people knew a fact and it appears in the story, the other two know who talked.

Most journalists take these agreements seriously and keep their word. The point isn’t that reporters are untrustworthy. It’s that a fuzzy, unwritten agreement under deadline pressure is a poor way to protect sensitive information.

How to agree ground rules properly

If you do decide to speak on anything other than on the record terms, do it deliberately.

1. Raise it at the start. Before you share anything sensitive, say “Before we begin, I’d like to talk on background. Can we agree what that means?”
2. Define it in plain words. Don’t rely on the label. “You can use this information, but not quote me, and you’ll describe me only as a person familiar with the company. Is that right?”
3. Get agreement explicitly. Wait for a clear yes. If the reporter hesitates or says they can’t agree, stay on the record.
4. Confirm in writing if you can. A short email afterward summarizing what was agreed (“Thanks for speaking earlier. As agreed, the first part was on background, attributed only to…”) reduces misunderstanding.
5. Mark the switch clearly. If you move between on and off the record in one conversation, say so each time and get agreement each time. Better still, avoid switching.
6. Remember the outlet may have its own rules. Some publications limit when reporters can use anonymous sources. Ask the reporter what applies to them.

When off the record can make sense

There are legitimate uses. A reporter may be about to publish a story with a wrong assumption that you can correct, but the correction involves context you can’t state publicly, such as a confidential process or an internal matter under review. Background guidance can steer the reporter away from an error without putting you in the story.

It also comes up in relationship building: a founder explaining a complex industry to a new beat reporter, where neither side expects anything to be published.

It rarely makes sense in a crisis. When a story is already critical, the reporter has every incentive to use what you give them, and you have every incentive to be clear and on the record. A short, factual written statement usually protects you better. Our guide on how to write a press statement covers that route.

What never to say off the record

• Anything that would harm you, a colleague or a customer if published with your name.
• Personal or private details about employees, customers or patients. Off the record doesn’t change your privacy or confidentiality obligations.
• Information covered by a legal duty, such as material nonpublic information at a listed company, details of active litigation, or anything your lawyer has told you not to discuss.
• Criticism of a named person you wouldn’t repeat to their face. Beyond the reputational damage, it can raise defamation questions. Our guide on defamation vs opinion explains the difference.
• Guesses. Off the record speculation still shapes the story.

If you’re a public company, a regulated business or involved in legal proceedings, talk to your lawyer before any off the record or background conversation. Some disclosures can create legal problems regardless of how they’re labeled.

A worked example

This is an illustrative scenario, not a real client.

A regional software company is dealing with a service outage. A trade reporter calls the head of operations, who has never spoken to the press. Ten minutes into a friendly chat, he mentions that “between us, the backup system hadn’t been tested in ages”.

He meant it as context. The reporter had not agreed to anything, and the line appears in the story the next morning, attributed to “a senior operations executive”. There is only one head of operations.

Here’s how the same call could have gone. The operations lead says he’ll get back to the reporter within the hour, passes it to the company’s designated spokesperson, and the reporter gets a short on the record statement: what failed, how long it lasted, what’s been done to prevent a repeat, and when customers will get a full incident report. The backup issue is disclosed on the company’s own terms in that report, with the fix alongside it.

Common mistakes

• Declaring it off the record after the fact. It doesn’t work.
• Assuming both sides mean the same thing. Define it in plain words.
• Letting untrained staff talk to reporters. Point everyone to a single spokesperson, and give that person media training.
• Forgetting written messages. Emails and texts to a reporter are just as publishable as a phone call.
• Using off the record to vent. Frustration is the most common reason people say things they regret.
• Trying to trade off the record information for a softer story. It rarely works and can look like manipulation.

If a story has already run and it contains something you said in confidence, or something inaccurate, our guide to requesting a correction or retraction explains what you can reasonably ask for. For the search results that follow a bad story, see our crisis management support.

Frequently asked questions

Is off the record legally binding?

Generally, no. It’s a professional understanding between you and the journalist, not an enforceable contract in the ordinary course of things. If it’s broken, your options are usually limited. Treat it as a courtesy that most reporters respect, not a protection you can rely on.

Can I say something is off the record after I've said it?

You can ask, but the reporter isn’t obliged to agree. Many journalists treat anything said before an agreement as on the record. Agree terms before you share sensitive information, not after.

What is the difference between off the record and on background?

Off the record usually means the information can’t be published or attributed. On background usually means it can be used, but without naming you, often attributed to a description such as “a person familiar with the matter”. Definitions vary, so agree the exact meaning with the reporter first.

Should I ever speak off the record?

Rarely, and only with a reporter you have a working relationship with, for a clear reason, with terms agreed in advance. For most businesses, especially in a crisis, a short on the record statement is safer and more useful.